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Drum make a noise in the same way as croakers do -- they contract a muscle
connected to their air bladder, which makes a drumming noise. According to
the Seafood Handbood, the red drum is also called channel bass,
redfish, and spottail. It is found from off the coast of Florida to
Massachusetts. It is the second largest member of the drum family. Red drum can grow up to 5 feet in length and weigh about 100 pounds. They are easy to recognize because they have one large black spot or more on their tail and are an iridescent silvery gray color with a coppery cast that is usually darker on the back and upper sides (Manooch 1984). This fish consumes bottom-dwelling animals such as crabs, shrimp, sand dollars, and a long list of fish such as mullet, pinfish, sea robin, spot and flounder. According to The Fisherman's Guide (Manooch 1984), they are often seen in a head- down position browsing along the bottom in search of food. In spring and fall, red drum are harvested commercially by haul seines, pound nets, and gill nets. They are also a favorite of anglers who catch them in the surf off the coasts of Virginia and North Carolina. CULINARY DESCRIPTION Red drum are delicious to eat and can be prepared by baking, broiling, grilling, or poaching. Smaller fish may be sauteed. According to Seafood Handbook, they need to be cooked thoroughly because they contain a trematode, a parasite worm. This means that they need to be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. The cooked meat of the drum has tender, firm, moist flakes. The meat is lean and light in color, with a mild flavor. Fillets may be coated with cornmeal and pan-fried so that the coating is crispy. Poached, the fillets can be served with a dill sauce or perhaps a mustard-flavored sauce. |
